Folding machine



Oct. 13, 1942. B. BEATTY I 2,298,454

A FOLDINGZ MACHINE- Filed Nov.` e, '1940 2 sham-sheet l1 Ot- 13, 1942- B. BEATTY 2,298,454

FOLDING MACHINE v Filed Nov. 6, 11940 2 Sheets-Shes?I 2 Patented Oct. 13, 1942 UNiTD STATES FOLDING MACHINE Application November 6, 1940, Serial No. 364,484

5 Claims.

rThis invention relates to an improvement in a folding machine and is a further development of the machine disclosed in my Patent No. 2,213,- 874 granted February 18, 1941.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a plurality of folding instrumentalities which are oscillated as a unit in a vertical plane about a common center and an anvil on which the work rests and which is oscillated in the vertical plane in unison with said unit.

A further object of the invention is to simplify the operation of the folding machine disclosed in said application particularly the operation of those instrumentalities which act upon a vertical travel and of the slitting knife.

These and other objects will appear from a consideration of the following description of one embodiment of the invention and of the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the head of a folding machine embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view thereof in front elevation, the blade of the slitting knife having been removed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the anvil and the portion of the bed 1plate which coacts therewith during the slitting and folding operations;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View of the anvil;

Figs. 5 and 6, 7 and 8 and 9 illustrate the moving members of the machine in various positions.

A folding machine of this general type is old and well known in this art. The present invention relates to head portion only of the machine and hence only such showing and description appear as are necessary for a full understanding of the present invention.

The work being treated in this machine rests upon a work bed I carried by the base II of the machine frame. The bed I3 is cut away at the center t-o form an opening i2 partially clcsed by an anvil I3 reciprocable therein. The anvil i3 is mounted upon a rock shaft I4 actuated by the actuating mechanism which is not shown since no invention resides therein but which may be of any Well known type common to folding machines of this type. The upper surface of the anvil I3 has a forward horizontal area I and a rearward inclined area I5 and the upper surface of the bed It is similarly formed. A removable plate Il' embedded in the platen carries at its forward edge a gauge I8 which includes an upwardly and outwardly inclined arcuate surface and a horizontal tongue which extends inwardly at the upper end of the arcuate surface. The anvil I 3 carries a gauge I9 which like the gauge I8 has an upwardly and outwardly inclined arcuate surface. The arcuate surfaces of the gauges are arranged in alignment as shown in Fig. 3.

The various folding instrumentalities by which the work resting upon the bed I0 and the anvil I3 is treated are carried by a plate 2B depending from a stud 2| extending from the head end 22 of the frame. At the upper end of the plate 23 is formed a collar` 23 which encloses the stud 2I and is held in position thereon by a flange 24 formed at the outer end of the stud. The plate 23 is free to swing on the stud 2| and is reciprocated by a yoke 25 which engages a block 26 pivotally supported by an ear 27 on the plate.

The yoke 25 is mounted upon a shaft 28 oscillated by the actuating mechanism mentioned above.

Carried by the plate 20 at its outer face are aligned sleeves 3U which enclose the shank 3I of a hammer 32 the purpose of which, as will be pointed out hereinbelow, is to press the folded edge of the work down against the body of the work and thus complete the folding operation. The hammer 32 is reciprocated by an arm 33 connected by a link 34 to a pin 35 clamped upon the shank 3I by a collar 36. The arm 33 is mounted upon the head end of a shank 31 oscillated by the actuating mechanism mentioned above.

Reciprocable in aligned sleeves 43 is the shank 4I of a work clamping foot 42. The sleeves 40 are carried by an arm 43 pivotally suspended near the upper sleeve from a set screw 44 on the plate 20. The arm 43 includes an ear 45 having a slot 46 therein which receives a set screw 41 threaded into an ear 48 of the plate 28. The foot 42 is reciprocated by an arm 43 through a link 50 which connects a pin on the arm t0` a pin clamped to the shank 4I by a collar 5I. The arm 49 is mounted on the head end of a shaft 52 which is oscillated by the actuating mechanism above mentioned.

rlhe edge of the work is turned by the wiper 63 fixed upon one end of a stud shaft 6I rotatably supported in a bracket 62 secured t0 the plate 23. An arm 63 fixed to the other end of the shaft 6I is attached to the end of a rod 54. The rod 64 is reciprocated by the actuating mechanism above mentioned to cause the wiper to act upon the edge of the work in predetermined relation to the operation of the other instrumentalities as will appear later.

The work is clamped at predetermined intervals to the bed I0 by a presser foot 'I0 Xed upon a rock shaft 'II operated by the actuating mechanism mentioned above. The under surface of the presser foot which rests upon the work is provided with a plurality of transversely extending teeth as is also the portion of the upper surface of the bed which coacts with the presser foot to hold the work stationary.

The treatment of the Work in this machine is generally similar to that in the machine disclosed in the above mentioned pending application. The work is rst positioned by the gauge I8 with the edge to be folded resting upon the arcuate surface thereof. In order to insure proper positioning of the work, a pivotally mounted lever 15 is employed. The lever is pivoted on an arm 16 extending from a post 11 mounted'on the bed I0. The forward end of the lever rests upon the gauge at the top of the arcuate surface and terminates in a finger 18 which projects beyond and coacts with the arcuate surface to define an edge receiving pocket. The lever 15 is held normally in that position by a spring 19. The lever 15 may be and ordinarily is raised by the operator when locating the work by pressing upon a flattened tab 80.

The machine being now set in operation, the foot 42 descends upon the work and clamp-s it upon the portion I of the anvil I3. The plate 20 and the anvil I3 are swung in unison to advance the work, from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. '7. The foot 42 is then raised and the presser foot lowered to clamp the work against the bed I0 and hold it stationary while the plate and anvil I3 move rearwardly (Fig. 9). Thus the work is intermittently fed by the coaction of the foot 42 and anvil I2 and held stationary by the presser foot 10 and bed I0.

As the work advances, the portion of the edge to be folded over, which is that resting upon the arcuate surface of the gauge I8, is further supported by the gauge I9 on the anvil. As vshown particularly in Fig. 3, the toe of the foot 42 enters a depression 82 in the portion I5 of the anvil which extends to the bottom of the arcuate surface of the gauge and thus acts to define the line of fold. (See Fig. 6.) The wiper B0 is swung inwardly during the advance of the work and lifts the edge of the work beyond the gauge I 9 and bends it along the line of fold over the body of the work. The hammer 32 descends at this time and presses the bent fold down against the body of the work. The work engaging surface of the hammer 32 is inclined at the angle of the portion I6 of the anvil which coacts with it to set the folded edge.

When the edge of the work is curved, it is the usual practice to slit the folded edge at regular intervals and insure a smooth folded edge. If it be an inside curve any overlapping due to fullness is avoided and if it be an outside curve any looping of the edge due tobinding is avoided. This operation is performed in the present-l machine by a knife blade 85 carried by one arm of a lever 86. The lever 86 is fulcrumed upon a pedestal 81 carried by the bed I0 and oscillated by the reciprocation of a rod 88 attached to the other arm of the lever. As the blade 85 is given a downward and outward movement by the lever, the cutting edge engages the edge of the work between the gauges I8 and I9 as the wiper 42 is h bending the edge along the line of fold. The work is at that time clamped upon the anvilby the foot 42 so it cannot slip during the cutting operation. Moreover, since the fold just in advance of the gauge I9 is being moved in the opposite direction by the wiper the slitting action of the knife is assisted. The rod 88 is reciprocated by the actuating mechanism mentioned above during periods determined by the operator.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood thatl the invention is not limited thereto and that other embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a folding machine, a plurality of folding instrumentalities, means for reciprocating said instrumentalities independently, a plate pivotally mounted on the head of the machine by which plate said instrumentalities are carried and relative to which said instrumentalities are recipr cated, a stationary bed on which the work rests, said bed having an opening therein, a pivotally mounted anvil reciprocable in the opening in timed relation to the movement of the plate by which the instrumentalities are carried, means for reciprocating said plate and anvil whereby the work is advanced by the travel of anvil and plate in one direction, a presser foot carried by the head and means by which said foot is intermittently moved toward and from the bed whereby the work is clamped to the bed as the anvil and plate travel in the opposite direction.

2. In a folding machine, a plurality of folding instrumentalities, means for reciprocating said instrumentalities independently, a plate pivotally mounted on the head of the machine by which plate said instrumentalities are carried and relative to which said instrumentalities are reciprocated, means for reciprocating said plate, a stationary bed on which the work rests, said bed having an opening therein, a pivotally mounted anvil reciprocable in the opening, means for reciprocating said anvil in timed relation to the movement of the plate by which the instrumentalities are carried whereby the work 1s advanced by the travel of anvil and plate in one direction, a presser foot carried by the head and means by which said foot is intermittently moved toward and from the bed whereby the work is clamped to the bed as the anvil and plate travel in the opposite direction, said folding instrumentalities acting to fold the edge of the work only as it is advanced.

3. In a folding machine, a plurality of folding instrumentalties, means for reciprocating said instrumentalities independently, a plate pivotally mounted on the head of the machine by which plate said instrumentalities are carried and relative to which said instrumentalities are reciprocated, a stationary bed on which the work rests, said bed having an opening therein, a pivotally mounted anvil reciprocable in said opening, means by which said anvil and plate are reciprocated in unison, said anvil and plate acting when travelling in one direction to advance the work and said folding instrumentalities acting only during the advance of the work and consisting of a clamping foot by which the work is clamped to the anvil, a wiper by which the edge of the work is bent over the foot while the Work is clamped to the anvil and a hammer by which the edge bent over by the wiper is pressed against the body of the work, a presser foot carried by the head of the machine and means for causing said foot to clamp the work against the bed, during the non-Work advancing travel of the anvil and plate.

4. In a folding machine, a plurality of folding instrumentalities, means for reciprocating said instrumentalities independently, a plate pivotally mounted on the head of the machine by Which plate said instrumentalities are carried and relative to which said instrumentalities are reciprocated, a stationary bed on which the Work rests, said bed having an opening therein, a pivotally mounted anvil reciprocable in said opening, means by which said anvil and plate are reciprocated in unison, said anvil and plate acting When travelling in one direction to advance the Work and said folding instrumentalities acting only during the advance of the Work and consisting of a clamping foot by which the work is clamped to the anvil, a Wiper by which the edge of the Work is bent over the foot While the Work is clamped to the anvil and a hammer by which the edge bent over by the Wiper is pressed against the body of the Work, a gauge on said bed by which the Width of the folded edge is determined and a gauge on said anvil in alignment With said rst gauge, the said clamping foot holding the Work at the base of the second gauge and said Wiper and hammer acting on the edge beyond the gauge on the anvil, a presser foot carried by the head of the machine and means for causing said foot to clamp the Work against the bed, during the nonwork advancing travel of the anvil and plate.

5. In a folding machine, a plurality of folding instrumentalities, means for reciprocating said instrumentalities independently, a plate pivotally mounted on the head of the machine by which plate said instrumentalities are carried and relative to which said instrumentalities are reciprocated, a stationary bed on which the work rests, said bed having an opening therein, a pivotally mounted anvil reciprocable in said opening, means by which said anvil and plate are reciprocated in unison, said anvil and plate acting `when travelling in one direction to advance the Work and said folding instrumentalities acting only during the advance of the Work and consisting of a clamping foot by which the work is clamped to the anvil, a wiper by which the edge of the Work is bent over the foot While the Work is clamped to the anvil and a hammer by which the edge bent over by the Wiper is pressed against the body of the Work, a gauge on said Vbed by which the width of the folded edge is determined and a gauge on said anvil in alignment with said rst gauge, the said clamping foot holding the Work at the base of the second gauge and said Wiper and hammer acting on the edge beyond the gauge on the anvil, a blade being pivotally supported upon the machine frame and acting upon the edge between said gauges during the advance of the work, a presser foot carried by the head of the machine and means for causing said foot to clamp the Work against the bed, during the non- Work advancing travel of the anvil and plate.

BRYAN BEATTY. 

